Cognitive Biosonar: Emulating perception and attention in wideband echolocation

Abstract

Our project is to apply acoustic, mechanical, and computational methods to assess the internal features leading to biosonar perception in FM echolocating bats and click-emitting dolphins. The goal is to translate cognitive and biological operations into computational format for incorporation into a technological model of biosonar. We will use the Spectrogram Correlation and Transformation (SCAT) model as the computational scaffold for the project. Sufficient behavioral findings are now available about biosonar perception from both animals to support this effort; the new measurements are for initial pulse and echo transduction by the inner ear. The problem is to bridge the gap between widely-dispersed, multidimensional, low precision neural representations and the low dimensionality and high precision that nevertheless is manifested in perception. No spatial neural display has been found that can account for the bat#s perceptual acuity, only multidimensional displays of acoustic information. Our plan is to insert into the model the parameters of neural representations that appear to rule out the perceptual acuity actually achieved by bats and make stress tests of the model to identify how the seeming limitations of the neural responses are overcome.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Nov 09, 2024
Source ID
N000142412665

Entities

People

  • James A Simmons

Organizations

  • Brown University
  • Office of Naval Research
  • United States Navy

Tags

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Auditory Neuroscience/Auditory Physiology.
  • Team-Based Human-Centered Cognitive Task Decision Making and Information Performance.